Edinburgh University MUN Association: ScotMUN

Keynote Address by Dr Gari Donn, Convenor UNA Edinburgh
Friday 20 February 2009

The importance of MUNs for people-to-people understanding, cooperation and development

It is indeed an honour to be speaking at your Opening Ceremony of the First Scottish Universities Model United Nations. I realize that in addition to representatives from UK Universities, there are others from India, Russia, France and Estonia. It is indeed fantastic to see this wide range of participation. I know that you will be addressing and debating resolutions for the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Scottish Parliament, the European Union, Disarmament and International Security (DISEC) as well as for the Climate Change Conference. You will be very busy. Work starts in earnest tomorrow morning.

This evening, however, is our opportunity to gather our thoughts on what we hope to achieve throughout our weekend of Committee and Assembly meetings. I think most of the 192 countries of the UN are represented here tonight. So welcome!

Also here, tonight, are representatives of our local branch of the UNA. In fact, as Convenor (that is, Chair) of the UNA Edinburgh, I bring you greetings not only from our members (some being graduates of your own universities and most having been involved in MUNs and MUNGAs over the years) but also from other UN Associations, including the UNA Iran. But before I deliver these greetings, I would like to remind us of the role of the UN, the UNA in the UK before drawing attention to the importance of links with other UNAs.

I am sure we all know that the UN has grown from 51 countries in 1945, all signing up to the Charter of the United Nations, into the major international organization of today. It works – as we all are very aware – to maintain peace and security throughout the world, promote fundamental human rights and freedoms; to fight poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy; and to encourage respect for each other among people. It is the global organization committed to developing friendly relations among nations based on ideals of equality and self determination. And, of course, it is tasked to provide the means for nations to achieve these purposes.

I always feel that it is important to state these roles and objectives of the UN. We must not forget just how important they all are. However, in fact, we frequently hear of the failures of the UN to maintain peace and security throughout the world. We know that poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy are rife throughout the world. Almost daily we read of the litany of breaches of fundamental human rights and the absence of freedom.
It is never easy for all 192 nations to agree and even getting consensus on the less strategic issues is also, at times, very difficult. But dissent and opposition are not inevitable, as you will discover this weekend. You will find opportunities to develop diplomatic liaisons and ways to build bridges with other delegations. This is how we have to work, even harder than ever, in the 21st century. It is through the ability to listen carefully, as well as to speak coherently, to work cooperatively and communicate intuitively, that our world will become a safer place. It is up to you as the representatives of these many countries here today, to show others that conflict is not inevitable and that bridge building can be one way to solve these apparently intractable problems of peace and security, human rights, poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy.

To make every effort to help the UN overcome these problems and achieve its goals Associations, in support of the UN, work at national levels. Many countries have UNAs. The UNA of the UK is exceptionally active with a small staff based in London and a huge volunteer community working throughout the UK.

Each year the UNA-UK holds an Annual Conference (this year’s will be here in Edinburgh in June!) at which resolutions are discussed and motions agreed. These feed into the work of the staff and volunteers, branches and networks of the Association. Currently, there are four policy programmes of the UNA-UK. These are on the Millennium Development Goals, Peace and Security, Human rights and humanitarian action and UN Reform. Although these four programmes crystalise the work of the UNA, education is actually at the heart of the Association. It is through education, public awareness and pressure that lasting change can be achieved. So it is quite appropriate that the UNA in the UK (like UNAs elsewhere) provides support and materials for Model UN events and provides resources for people wanting to develop their knowledge of the UN system and activities.

You will know that the UNA-UK has a Youth and Student Association and a Young Professionals Network. The former is a network of university groups, schools and individual members across the UK who exchange ideas and organize events to promote the work of the UN among young people. The latter brings together a diverse mix of young professionals who support a strong role for the UN in international affairs. Through these networks of people-to-people communications, joint ideas and collaborative activities are developed. Usually, this is done on a voluntary yet totally committed basis.

We have to hope that all representatives of governments as well as their officials, sitting on the various UN Committees, work as often and as hard as these volunteers to achieve the global objectives and goals of the UN. That is why we follow, so intensely, their debates in the General Assembly, the Security Council, or in any of the various Committees.

But, perhaps, what we often do not follow so intensely is the remit of the UN to aid and support the development of friendly relations among nations based on ideals of equality and self determination. Whilst governments and media attention may be on the material politics of the moment, we, in the grass-roots UN movements, may be more inclined to recognize the positive benefits of people-to-people interaction.

Our UNA branch in Edinburgh had this approach in mind when collaborative partnerships were developed with the UNA Iran. Colleagues from Tehran visited us last year and a small delegation from UNA Edinburgh recently returned from an official visit to Iran.

We have instituted two joint projects: the holding of two MUNGAs, one in Edinburgh in June and another in Tehran in October. School students from both countries will act as delegations and represent nations – just as you are doing this weekend. The second project is on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and in April, at the Scottish Parliament, we will hold a Conference on the NPT. The Report from that event will be presented to Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in Seoul in August when he attends the Conference of the World Federation of United Nations Associations. Following that, he will take the Report to the NPT Review Conference at the UN in 2010.

These collaborative partnerships, under the wing of the UNA, enable people to meet people, and allow images of the other to be nuanced by the realities found. With that in mind, may I show you a few of the images I saw when in Iran, during our visit hosted by the UNA in Iran?

My colleague and I ran workshops on MUNGAs and NPT. Here you see the participants at the Conference:

Slide 1: NGOs at workshops

NEW ! Report of January 19th meeting of Iran visit and copy of letter sent

photos uploaded under "Photos" tab

                                                                UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION
                                                              (Edinburgh Branch)
                                                               Flat 3,
House of Commons                                     91, Henderson Row,
Westminster                                              Stockbridge,
London SW1A 0AA                                      Edinburgh EH3 5BH

Copy to: The President, UNA-IRAN 17th January,2009

A MESSAGE FROM A VISIT TO IRAN
BY
DR. GARI DONN and DR. ALEC GAINES
1. We have returned from ten days in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz as guests of UNA-IRAN.(whom you may remember, visited Edinburgh last year). We led Workshops for some 30 members of Iranian NGOs on international education, nuclear non-proliferation and on human rights. The Workshops culminated in a Model General Assembly of the UN (MUNGA) and the adoption of a resolution on Gaza (attached) signed jointly by representatives of 15 NGOs and ourselves and e-mailed to the UN Secretary-General. We also visited schools and the Centre dedicated to helping Tehran’s homeless. Throughout the ten days we experienced no hostility and much gentle courtesy.

2. There is a clear need for HMG to develop, step by step, a policy of working with the Iranian people. Consistent with this, we, ourselves, have planned visits of Iranian teachers and school-children to participate in MUNGAs in Edinburgh. These plans are being submitted for the approval of the Iranian Ministry of Education. Again, we expect the participation of 5 Iranians in the ‘Civil Society and the NPT’ International Conference in the Scottish Parliament on April 16th. The Executive Summary of the Conference will be submitted to the National Security Council of Iran. One trusts our colleagues’ application for visas will be received favourably.

3. Sanctions are ineffectual and counter-productive. The three cities we saw were full of commodities, many from US and European companies and many produced for the first time by Iran. Since sanctions, a car industry has burgeoned; a 50 seater commercial aircraft is on the drawing board. Internet banking with Germany and the Gulf States appears straightforward. The (English language) Tehran Times daily carried news of exciting industrial development – the latest news was of the start-up of a small, solar-powered electricity generating station in Shiraz. We met NGOs with colleagues ranging from North Africa to Central Asia. In every way Britain is missing out.

4. It is our intention to continue to build bridges between peoples of the world, whether
they be in the Middle East, Asia or Europe. As our political representatives in Parliament we would urge you to undertake activities similarly directed towards collaboration and co-operation. The paths for peace are actually not so difficult for people. It is only governments that appear to have problems.

There was a talk on Iran and the UNA initiative on Monday 19th January at 7pm at the Royal Overseas League, 100, Princes Street, Edinburgh. We would welcome invitations to present at other forums.

(a.f.gainees@strath.ac.uk on behalf of Dr G. Donn JP., Convenor, Edinburgh UNA)

Joint Statement on Gaza
From the United Nations Association (UNA)-Iran, the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV) and the United Nations Association (UNA)-Edinburgh.

And the following NGOs:
Abu Reihan Birooni Institute
Aeen Mehr Promotion Foundation
Ah-Albaeit Global Association
Association of Hamyaran Mahale
Association of Mehrvarzan Tavana
Association of Saba Mehrafarin
Corporate Social Responsibility Institute
Ghoghnoos Foundation for Children and Adolescents
Islamic Human Rights Commission
Islamic Society of Iranian Women
Modern Attitude Mothers Institute (MAM)
Nedaye Zeinab Institute
Society for Protecting the Rights of the Child
The Charitable institute for Protecting Social Victims
The Institute for the Promotion of Iranians’ Life Quality

Tehran, Sunday 4 January 2009

We the peoples of the above-noted organizations, meeting together in Tehran on the 4th January 2009,
Note with horror and anger the continued bombing of civilian populations in Gaza,
Call on the UN to implement a temporary CEASEFIRE immediately,
Recognise that the Security Council has been unable to act effectively,
Note that the UN Resolution for Uniting for Peace, adopted in 1950, allows the General Assembly to take control of any decision-making regarding international peace and security, therefore
Call on the Secretary General to establish a UN Extraordinary General Assembly on Gaza.

PRESS

Meeting at Dean's office,Dept of Education,Edinburgh University

Updated 4/03/08

Final report on Joint Meetings of United Nations Associations of Edinburgh and Iran held in Edinburgh, January 23-26 2008

1 Participants:
UNA Iran: Mr Yadollah Mohammadi (President, UNA-Iran), with Mr Hossein Ahmadyadib, Mr Mahmood Tavana. They teach International Law but also work p/t for UNA Iran.
UNA Edinburgh: 11 members of UNA Edinburgh
Chaired by: Dr Gari Donn JP, Convenor UNA-Edinburgh

A significant number of Members of Parliament and MSPs had been notified of this visit; noted by PM and Foreign Secretary; Message of Greeting received from First Minister, Alex Salmond.
The Iranian delegation also met with Mark Lazarovitz MP, with Robin Harper MSP, with representatives of civil society at the Peace and Justice Centre, and with the Convenor of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Nation Committee.

We found our guests to be friendly, open, honest and frank, unfailingly courteous, and with a light sense of humour. The reader is asked to keep that in mind when reading what follows; each side felt free to question the other, often quite bluntly, and statements which may seem on paper to be negative were in fact made with openness, honesty and mutual respect.

2 Purpose of UNA-UNA meetings:
UNAs are neither part of government nor of the UN; as non-political civil society bodies we cannot speak for our governments, but we can speak for people. The intention of the joint meetings was for each group to come to know and understand the other better, through meeting and dialogue, and to consider issues of common interest: (i) Education of children in international affairs, (ii) disarmament; and (iii) to consider possible future joint projects.

3 Primary discussion topics:
3.1 Education of school children in international processes and affairs
UNA-Edinburgh now runs an annual Model United Nations General Assembly (MUNGA) for 14-16 year olds. Several UN agencies have offices in Tehran. With them, UNA-Iran has provided several courses on the objectives and functions of the UN and its agencies for school students and for teachers. To date some 65,000 children have participated. An exchange of students is proposed whereby a team of children/young people from Edinburgh participates in a Model UN in Iran, and a team from Iran participates in an Edinburgh MUNGA

3.2 Disarmament and non-proliferation
Both UNAs firmly reject nuclear weapons, are willing signatories (Scotland via UK) to NPT, and want to see stocks of nuclear weapons world wide reduced to zero as soon as possible..
At a UN General Assembly c.1974 Iran (with Egypt) called for a nuclear-weapons-free Middle East, a call it repeats regularly. Also Ayatollah Khomenei declared nuclear weapons to be ‘un-Islamic’ - in effect declaring a fatwa against them. Geographically, 3 of Iran’s near-neighbours have nuclear weapons but refuse to sign the NPT. Iran has never attacked another country (but has been attached with chemical weapons); its intentions are defensive, not aggressive; they want to cool the situation, not inflame it.
Both UNA’s agreed to press for disarmament in the Middle East, in particular for a nuclear weapons-free Middle East.

4 Additional issues
These inevitably came up in conversations, Q&As in civil society meetings, and around the main discussions. The most frequent were: (i) Iran and the nuclear issue; (ii) with all their gas and oil reserves, why does Iran want nuclear energy anyway? (iii) Sanctions and their effects on development, and on at least one significant occasion (iv) relations with other nations. The following subsections are an attempt to summarise the responses of our Iranian guests when these issues came up.

4.1 Iran and the Nuclear issue.
This is the ‘hot topic’ in the media and in relations between Iran and ‘the West’.

Two separate issues - peaceful power generation, and production of weapons-grade material - are commonly conflated. Iran catagorically rejects nuclear weapons, (and all WMD), but feels that a false accusation of Iran’s intent is being used as a political convenience, to create a stick to beat Iran with. ‘If it wasn’t the nuclear issue, the US would find some other pretext to squeeze us’.
Iran has signed and now abides by the NPT yet is subjected to rigorous inspections and hit by sanctions; three other states in the area have nuclear weapons, refuse to sign the NPT, and (in 2 cases at least) are actively supported by the US. To Iran this feels unfair and unjustified discrimination. Why the squeeze on Iran and not on the others? Very politely our Iranian guests said that this seemed to them to be double standards and hypocrisy; under the NPT the ‘great powers’ are meant to get rid of nuclear weapons but are upgrading them instead; the UK and others are planning to build more nuclear power stations but would deny them to Iran. They suggest that this does nothing to improve Iran-US relations.

4.2 Why does Iran want nuclear power when it has large gas and oil reserves?
UNA-Iran told us that with a growth rate of 1.1% pa, the population of Iran has doubled in 30 years to 71million, half of whom are under 25. While Iran has the world’s second largest reserves of oil and gas, these are finite. Independent studies (including by Stanford University 1974, and ref 2) conclude that given projected consumption (including exports of oil, gas and electricity as main source of foreign exchange), and growing domestic demand, Iran will need additional sources of electrical energy. By 2050 Iran will not even be able to meet domestic demand for gas, let alone have any left for export; the Stanford report reckoned Iran would need several nuclear power stations by 2015. It could make sense to mine and use their own uranium resources.
UNA Iran also said that it is important to Iran to be self-sufficient in energy supplies. Given their experience of sanctions, they do not want to be subject to another nation controlling their energy supplies, able to turn off their lights and taps at will. They therefore have reservations about the reliability of the proposed international nuclear fuel bank.

4.3 Sanctions
Iran is designated as a developing country. US sanctions also limit or prevent trade with the west. Any other nation, including EU, which trades or works with Iran above a very modest financial threshold would be subjected to US sanctions. Consequently Iran finds it impossible to acquire good-quality equipment, spares and essential parts for eg oil production. While Iran would prefer to trade and work with the west, which produces better quality equipment, it feels it has no option but to turn eastwards or to trade with Russia. Shortage of refining capacity means Iran has to import 50% of its refined petroleum requirement. Sanctions thus inhibit Iran’s economic development, impacting the people more than the government. These issues are very real for the people of Iran.


4.4 International relations and ’friends’
Iran has been seeking better relations with the US and the West for some time, and they felt some progress was being made (although the US often rejected Iran’s advances), until being included in the ‘axis of evil’ speech came as a great shock. [see also refs 3, 6]
Our visitors were asked (by Church of Scotland representative) about Iran’s relations with Russia. Working relations are good, because of the current situation - Russia is the only country willing (free?) to trade with Iran, thanks to US sanctions. But Iran and Russia are not necessarily ‘natural friends’; our Iranians intuitively felt more affinity with the west (as people to people, if not necessarily politically). Their neighbour Iraq would be a more natural friend, but for the intrusion of ‘great powers’ into the region. Relations between the people are good, if not between the governments. Asked (Church of Scotland again) how they view Israel, they politely avoided an answer. Later, in committee, relations with Israel were described as very poor, ‘problematic’, which seemed a careful understatement. (see refs 5,6 below).
Asked about their perception of US and UK, UNA Iran again distinguished between peoples and governments. In general, Iran’s image of the UK is not good, because the UK is seen as following the US line rather than thinking about its own policy independently. Although we got the impression that Iran would like in principle to cooperate with the UK on technical issues, this perception means that Iran is more likely to turn (albeit reluctantly) to the EU instead of to the UK for partnerships and trade, and thanks to sanctions they have little option but to rely on Russia.

5 Conclusion
Past history has left a legacy short on trust, but through this encounter we at UNA Edinburgh believe that Iran, or at least the people of Iran as represented by UNA Iran, seeks to build trust and better relations with the west. The experience of this joint meeting of UNAs strengthened for us our conviction that dialogue and personal encounter between peoples are indispensable if progress is to be made towards improved relationships and a more peaceful world. But talk is not enough - we need also to listen to the other, to respect their situation and views of the world as they see and experience it.
En route home through London, the members of UNA Iran met with Sam Daws, Executive Secretary, and Lord David Hannay, Chairman of UNA-UK. Afterwards Lord Hannay said, "It was good to be able to sit down with our visitors from UNA-Iran and to discuss the whole range of issues between Iran and the UN in a spirit of openness and cooperation".
We fully support Lord Hannay’s letter to the Foreign Secretary (9 August 2007) calling for unconditional dialogue with Iran.

6 Comment
This report may seem very different from what we normally hear (from politicians and through the media) about Iran. This was a ‘people-to-people’ meeting, and we believe reflected the views of well-educated Iranian people; we were not coming from political positions. However, I suggest that what we found, and report here, is quite consistent with the more in-depth studies listed below. Perhaps we need to heed Dr Ansari’s thesis (ref3): Iran and the US have ‘history’, have evolved false images of each other, and then play to those false images. That being so, we hope that our meeting may in some way help to open up further dialogue with the ‘real’ Iran.

Prepared by Liz Sim, Secretary, UNA Edinburgh Branch (lizsim@btinternet.com)
For further information contact: Liz Sim, or Dr Alec Gaines, Convenor of Non-Proliferation Working Group, UNA Edinburgh (a.f.gaines@strath.ac.uk)
Edinburgh 12 February 2008
Suggested reading:

1 Most issues of the monthly journal ‘The Middle East’ (IC Publications); in particular
2 Neil Ford: ‘Beyond the Nuclear Debate’, in The Middle East, January 2008, p 42 (Assessment of projected energy needs and resources)

3 Ali M. Ansari, ‘Confronting Iran - the failure of American foreign policy and the roots of mistrust’, Hurst & Company, 2006
(US and Iran have developed false images of each other, and play to those false images)

4 Scott Ritter, ‘Target Iran’, Nation Books 2006
(Typical of his style; an insider concerned about possible US intentions towards Iran)

5 J J Mearsheimer & S M Walt, ‘The Israeli Lobby and US Foreign Policy’, Farrar, Straus & Giroux 2007, chapter 10, ‘Iran in the crosshairs’.
(Israeli lobby (eg AIPAC) pressing US to act against Iran; not necessarily in Israel’s best interests)

6 Trita Parsi, ‘Treacherous Alliance - the secret dealings of Israel, Iran and the US’, Yale University Press 2007
(From PhD thesis; well referenced. Based on many interviews with politicians, ambassadors at UN et al. from all 3 countries. Traces ups & downs of relations between Israel and Iran; how and why Israel (and lobby) puts pressure on US to lean on Iran, especially Israel’s fears that Iran become a significant regional player, threatening Israel’s own leadership ambitions)

7 Sharam Chubin, ‘Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions’, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2006
(A useful detailed history of the issues, tries to remain objective and avoid starting from assumption that ambitions = weapons) 
 

INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS VISIT EDINBURGH  23-26th January,2008
 

Edited 29/01/08

Yadollah Mohammadi, the President of the United Nations Association of Iran, together with Founder Members Hossein Ahmadyadlih and Mahmood Tavana - both international lawyers – came to Edinburgh last week to have discussions with the Edinburgh Branch of the United Nations Association about the Middle East Situation. 



PROPOSAL of the EXCHANGE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN
MODEL UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLIES
Just as Edinburgh is graced by the Water of Leith, so a stream burbles its way through the centre of Tehran. In Iran the United Nations Association has helped over 15,000 children learn about the work of the UN. Similarly, the Edinburgh United Nations Association holds Model United Nations General Assemblies each year in the City Chambers; schools role-play the views of other countries.
One proposal starting with this year’s MUNGA would be for Edinburgh to host children from Iran. In exchange Edinburgh schoolchildren would sample the romance of Tehran and join with Iranian children learning of the aims and working of the United Nations.

WORKING TOGETHER FOR MIDDLE EAST DISARMAMENT
After two hard days in Committee the United Nations Associations of Iran and Edinburgh agreed a collaborative programme to encourage disarmament of the Middle East.

1. Discussions at the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre  were preceded by Moslem prayers in the Chapel of St Johns Church (West End).

Peace & Justice Centre meeting

2. Approving the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament with Robin Harper MSP.
“Just as in Scotland’s Parliament there are 5 parties and 1 independent, so, in the Iranian Parliament besides the 2 major parties – one right and one left – all minorities with populations of over a quarter of a million have their own MPs.”

3. A Burns Night Supper with their Edinburgh United Nations Association hosts.
“…and Man wi’ Man the world o’er shall Brithers be for a’ that.” Short term
exchanges of Scottish and Iranian schoolchildren are planned for the near future.

Home Burns Evening

4. At a breakfast meeting Mark Lazarowicz MP
(Edinburgh North and Leith) emphasised that “the British Government was
working towards a safer world in which there was no need for nuclear weapons."

United Nations Association, Edinburgh
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
(a.f.gaines@strath.ac.uk)